This article examines the regulation of political advertising on television and radio in Ireland where a restrictive set of rules prevent political parties and lobby groups from using the broadcast medium to communicate directly with the public. The current regime does provide qualifying political parties with access to a system of broadcasts during election and referendum campaigns, a system that is not available to lobby groups and other representative bodies. Evidence is presented to suggest that subject to certain defined rules, there is a public openness to some modification of the current outright prohibition on political advertising in Ireland. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.